A secret life with a scandalous destiny. A strong-minded, courageous woman, sworn to uphold her family’s lifelong mission. And the man who can give her the one thing she never believed she could have. Bronwyn Scott’s Secret Life of a Scandalous Debutante takes these delicious ingredients and creates a mouth-watering romance to savor on a cool autumn night.

At the heart of the novel is the chemistry between Belton Stratten and Lilya Stefanov. Neither seeks romance with the other, yet they are inevitably drawn to one another despite circumstances that suggest disaster will be the outcome of such a liaison. The two are very much alike—decisive, honorable, passionate—filled with a sense of duty to family. These shared traits become apparent early on, giving the reader impetus to root for the couple who are obviously “made for each other.” Lilya’s character is particularly well drawn as womanly in a strength yet not easily swayed from her duty. She is both of her time period yet with a modern sensibility of purpose beyond the personal.

I also especially liked the way Ms. Scott handled the political elements of her story. The external conflict, the Greek bid for independence during the early 19th century, creates Lilya’s major motivation and ensuing internal conflict, leading to her rejection of romance. Yet the politics and intrigue in no way overshadowed the romantic elements of the story. The novel seemed nicely positioned in the time period and I applaud the use of this seemingly little known historical event as the catalyst for her story.

Unfortunately, a major drawback in the novel for me was the lack of judicious editing. Even if I did not have knowledge of the elements editors seek to correct, I would wonder at some of the errors I found in the book. Words and names are repeated excessively within paragraphs, the worst offender being a character’s name repeated three times in one paragraph. And several inconsistencies were apparent: a character addressed as “Lady” on one page was called “Miss” on another, the anachronistic use of the word “milquetoast,” and the lack of mention of a corset as Lilya is undressed in a time period in which women would have worn one. These were little things that kept pulling me out of a novel I enjoyed being immersed in. A firm editorial pen could have made my experience even more pleasurable.

Secret Life of a Scandalous Debutante is a wonderful love story, set against the backdrop of political intrigue and treachery. The hero and heroine steadfastly battle for what is right, not just for them, but for the world and its larger canvas. Their selfless devotion shines throughout the novel, bringing all the savory ingredients from a slow simmer to a passionate boil. My hope is that you take the time enjoy the feast.

RATING EXPLANATION:

1 Star— At this time, we at LASR do not post these reviews. If the book was boring, badly edited, poorly written, had little or no plot, stilted dialogue, and/or unsympathetic characters, we will decline the review.

2 Stars— Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you'd re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library - not buy - and never check out again.

3 Stars— Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn't consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There's a chance you'll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn't go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars— Very Good. You're glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars— Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

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